West Lolo Complex (Thorne Creek Fire) Daily Update, Monday, August 2

 West Lolo Complex (Thorne Creek Fire)
 Lolo National Forest
 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 1
 Mike Goicoechea, Incident Commander
 Monday, August 2, 2021
 

Contact Information

• Information Line: 208-274-9674, 8AM - 8PM
• Website: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7620/
• Facebook: @WestLoloComplex
• Twitter: twitter.com/LoloNF
• Email: 2021.westlolo@firenet.gov
• YouTube: West Lolo Complex YouTube

Thorne Creek Fire Statistics

• Location: 5 miles NE of Thompson Falls
• Date of Origin: 7/7/2021
• Cause: Lightning
• Acres: 17,685
• Containment: 0%
•  Injuries: 4

Resources

• Crews: 2                        
• Dozers: 2
• Engines: 16                   
• Skidgens: 2                      
• Helicopters: 3              
• Water Tenders: 9       
• Feller Bunchers: 3              
• Masticator: 1
• Personnel: 268            

There is a Community Meeting tonight at 6 p.m. in Ainsworth Park, 200 Lincoln Street, Thompson Falls, MT. This is an outdoor setting where social distancing is encouraged.

Summary: Northern Rockies Team 1 is currently managing both the Granite Pass Complex (BM Hill, Shotgun, Lolo Creek and Boulder Creek) and the West Lolo Complex (Thorne Creek Fire). A much-needed wetting rain brought one third (1/3) of an inch of rain on the peaks with slightly less at lower elevations. Sharing of resources between the two complexes will ensure maximum usage of available crews and equipment.

Yesterday: Engines were added to the Structure Protection Group as response zone assessments and planning continues. Firefighters used aircraft to reinforce a line connecting the Deep Creek Fire burn scar on the northwestern corner of the fire in Division Charlie.  Additional engines were used on the south side of the fire in Division November to monitor fire behavior and continue prepping control lines for planned operations. Crews finished plumbing hoselay along primary control lines on the western flank of the fire. Firing operations in Squaw Creek cleaned up unburned fuels adjacent to control lines, reducing a path for the fire to escape to the west. Rain was added to the many hazards in the field. No known injuries reported.

Today: Firefighters assigned to the north in Division Charlie will work along Cougar Peak Road to keep fire from slopping over from the Graves Creek drainage. Lines will be reinforced, and fire edges cooled using water and retardant delivered from aircraft. On the eastern flank crews are working to establish a continuous fuel break from Thompson River to Fishtrap to slow eastern movement. Scouting for alternate line and control features to slow the fire is taking place. Firefighters working the west and southern flank will coordinate together to suppress any spot fires and use hoselays to secure the indirect fire line. Firing operations may take place, if it is safe to do so and conditions are favorable, along the southern flank to secure containment lines.  

Weather: Showers and thunderstorms moved through the area on Sunday producing higher humidity with measurable rainfall totals near 1/3 of an inch. Seasonably cooler temperatures and continued moderate humidity are expected today along with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorm activity. It will be the coolest day of the week with high relative humidity with scattered wet storms. Minimum fire behavior is expected but developing storms could produce strong and erratic winds with outflows that could temporarily push fire in unpredictable directions.

Evacuations:

Evac Order: all residences EAST/NORTHEAST from Allen Ranch south on Blue Slide Road to the intersection of the BPA power lines, following the power lines through Ashley Creek to the Thompson River.

Pre-Evac/Warning: all residences to the WEST from Allen Ranch south along Blue Slide Road to the intersection of Highway 200, on the west side of the Clark Fork River.

The color-coded evacuation maps are located on InciWeb and Facebook. 206 residents are currently under evacuation orders. The team is coordinating closely with local law enforcement and emergency management officials with the goal of returning residents home as soon as it is safe to do so.

Closures and Additional Information:

·         Residents can reduce wildfire risk by following Firewise building construction and vegetation management principles. Visit Firewise.org for more information.

·         Ready, Set, GO! wildland fire preparedness for ranchers and farmers can be found at dnrc.mt.gov.

·         The Red Cross Disaster Action Team has opened a Temporary Evacuation Center/Shelter at the Thompson Falls Community Center for all evacuees. The 24/7 information line is (406) 827-9268.

·         Information Sign Boards are located at Ainsworth Park, Harvest Foods, and Wild Goose Landing in Thompson Falls, and the U.S. Forest Service Ranger District in Plains. Local businesses are assisting with information dissemination by posting maps and updates and sharing information cards.

·         STAGE 2 fire restrictions are in effect; visit mtfireinfo.org to learn more about local fire restrictions.

·         KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! Forest closure information can be found on InciWeb under the “Maps” and “Closures” tabs.

·         Air quality and smoke monitoring can be found at fires.airfire.org

·         Temporary flight restrictions specific to Thorne Creek Fire: tfr.faa.gov

·         No Drone Zone! If you fly, we can’t! Visit knowbeforeyoufly.org